How to Choose Payroll Software When You're Managing Teams in Multiple Countries

What You Need to Know Before Your Next Board Meeting

Here's what I see happening: you've got contractors in one system, EOR employees in another, and your entity payroll scattered across three more vendors. Sound familiar? This mess isn't just annoying. It's costing you serious money and keeping your legal team up at night.

Pricing current as of January 2026. All costs shown per employee per month. Country coverage from vendor websites.

The best payroll software for international employees depends entirely on your employment model strategy, not feature lists. Mid-market companies with 200–2,000 employees typically manage contractors in one system, EOR employees in another, and entity payroll somewhere else, creating vendor sprawl that costs €50,000–€150,000 annually in coordination overhead alone (internal estimate based on advisory work with 1,000+ companies; assumes 3+ vendors, 5+ countries, monthly payroll cycles). The right choice consolidates this fragmentation into unified global employment operations.

The Questions That Actually Matter When You're Under Pressure

Conflict of interest disclosure: Teamed is the unified global employment partner for mid-market companies managing international teams across multiple platforms, vendors, and employment models. This evaluation reflects advisory work with over 1,000 companies across 70+ countries since 2018. We have ranked ourselves in this comparison; readers should consider this potential bias when evaluating our recommendations.

We assessed each option against six strategic criteria that matter for long-term compliance and operational efficiency. First, strength of employment model advisory: does the provider help you decide between contractors, EOR, and entities, or do they simply sell what they offer? Second, regulatory and compliance expertise, particularly depth in EU labour rules, the EU Platform Work Directive (adopted 2024; member-state implementation varies), US state classification tests, and GDPR. Third, fit for mid-market pricing and support models. Fourth, capability to consolidate fragmented payroll systems into one source of truth. Fifth, support for EOR-to-entity and contractor-to-employee transitions with practical playbooks. Sixth, ability to reduce vendor sprawl rather than add another platform.

Data sources include vendor public pricing pages (January 2026), direct vendor quotes for mid-market scenarios (200–500 employees, 5–10 countries), and customer interviews conducted during advisory engagements. Pricing and coverage change frequently; verify current terms directly with vendors.

Software should follow employment model strategy, not lead it. Most listicles compare features. This framework evaluates long-term compliance, consolidation potential, and board-ready decision support.

If You're Using Contractors + EOR + Entities, Here's How to Pick

Pricing as of January 2026. Custom/quote-based pricing varies by employee count, countries, and complexity.

Teamed: When You're Drowning in Vendors and Need Clear Guidance

Teamed is the unified global employment partner that starts with your employment model strategy, then curates payroll and workforce infrastructure around it. Coverage spans 180+ countries with an in-market legal and compliance network including deep European labour expertise covering works councils, collective agreements, and GDPR. The platform consolidates multi-vendor stacks into one source of truth and provides practical playbooks for EOR-to-entity and contractor-to-employee transitions. Regulatory expertise focuses specifically on misclassification risk, including the EU Platform Work Directive and US state classification tests (varies by jurisdiction and role; not legal advice, consult counsel).

Best for: HR leaders and CFOs who are tired of managing three different employment models across five or more countries and just want one team they can trust.

Not ideal for: Very small teams wanting self-serve only, or buyers making employment model decisions entirely in-house without external guidance.

Remote: Good If You've Already Decided on EOR Everywhere

Remote suits organisations that have largely decided their employment model mix and now want a single, modern platform to execute multi-country payroll and EOR at speed. EOR coverage spans 180+ countries with integrated payroll, payments, and statutory filings. The platform excels in standardised knowledge-worker scenarios where employment terms follow predictable patterns. Compliance positioning centres on integrated payroll, payments, and filings for EOR scenarios to lower operational errors. Strategic guidance is helpful within the EOR model but not neutral on EOR-to-entity transitions, as the commercial incentive favours retaining workers on the platform.

Best for: Companies committing to multi-market EOR across 10+ countries seeking product-led consolidation with modern user experience.

Not ideal for: Firms expecting to scale headcount to 15+ employees in specific countries that need independent advice on EOR versus entity economics and timing.

Deel: Quick Contractor and EOR Setup, Less Help with Complex Decisions

Deel is strong for organisations that prioritise speed to hire international contractors and EOR employees through a single interface. Coverage spans contractors and EOR across 150+ countries with streamlined onboarding and payment workflows. Documentation and basic compliance automation reduce gaps compared to ad hoc contractor arrangements. Deel manages contractor agreements and EOR across many jurisdictions to operationalise its model. However, the commercial alignment with retaining workers on its infrastructure means advice on entity establishment at maturity may be limited.

Best for: Rapid expansion teams hiring 20+ international workers in 12 months across contractors and EOR while deferring entity decisions to later stages.

Not ideal for: Mid-market leaders prioritising long-term cost and risk optimisation who need independent advice on when to establish entities.

Papaya Global: For Companies Already Running 5+ Entities

Papaya Global is suited to organisations that already operate 5+ entities and vendors and now want enterprise-grade consolidation of payroll and payments data. Coverage spans 160+ countries through integration with local delivery partners. The platform centralises calculations, payments, and audit-ready trails across multiple local providers. It tracks payroll and tax legislation across many countries, which proves valuable when managing multiple local bureaus. Strategic guidance focuses on harmonisation rather than model selection between EOR, entities, and contractors. The platform works best alongside internal HR and legal capability that can make those strategic decisions independently.

Best for: Upper mid-market organisations with 5+ existing entities and local providers seeking one consolidation layer.

Not ideal for: Smaller mid-market firms still defining their employment model strategy without an internal or external advisor to guide those decisions.

Oyster: Best International Payroll for Early-Stage Distributed Teams

Oyster fits younger companies taking their first steps into global hiring, where EOR-based employment for a handful of roles is the primary requirement. EOR coverage spans 180+ countries with basic benefits and statutory alignment. The platform emphasises remote-first team focus and employee experience, with guidance content geared toward early-stage needs. Oyster maintains EOR compliance for straightforward knowledge-worker roles and reduces risk compared to informal contractor setups by ensuring benefits and statutory contributions.

Best for: Post-seed companies with fewer than 50 employees needing an EOR-centric platform for first 5–10 international hires.

Not ideal for: Scaling organisations with 15+ EU headcount, multiple entities, and contractors that need broader strategic oversight as complexity grows.

Rippling Global Payroll: Best for US-Centred Companies Adding International Employees

Rippling is attractive for organisations with a strong US base that want HR, IT, and payroll in one system and are beginning to extend that model to a limited number of international markets. Coverage includes deep US compliance with expanding international capabilities across 50+ countries. The integrated HRIS plus payroll reduces data inconsistencies and improves reporting accuracy. Strong IT provisioning and onboarding/offboarding flows appeal to companies managing devices and access alongside employment. The platform assumes employment model decisions are made externally and does not position itself as a global employment advisor.

Best for: Mid-market organisations with 70%+ US headcount extending a US-centric stack to fewer than 50 international employees without complex European compliance requirements.

Not ideal for: EU-headquartered or regulation-heavy businesses needing deep European compliance strategy, works council expertise, or multi-model advisory.

Advisor-Led Local European Payroll Network: Best for Multi-Entity European Operations

An advisor-curated network of local European payroll providers can be the most robust route for entities in 3+ EU countries, provided a single global employment partner orchestrates the network and unifies reporting. This approach involves in-country bureaus selected for compliance track record, with alignment to works councils, collective bargaining agreements, and GDPR practices. Deep national familiarity with notice periods, holiday entitlements, and social security reporting proves valuable in regulated sectors. Success hinges on an overarching advisor to align local providers to a coherent model. Without orchestration, this approach creates the vendor sprawl it aims to solve.

Best for: Mid-market organisations with 3+ EU entities and 50+ European employees seeking high-trust local compliance while retaining local HR practices and cultural sensitivity.

Not ideal for: Teams without an orchestrating advisor, as the risk of vendor sprawl and fragmented data increases significantly without unified governance.

Multiplier: Best for Emerging Market EOR Coverage

Multiplier provides EOR services with particular strength in emerging markets across Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Latin America where some competitors have thinner coverage. The platform covers 150+ countries with competitive pricing in markets where EOR fees can vary significantly between providers. Multiplier offers contractor management alongside EOR with straightforward onboarding workflows. Regulatory expertise focuses on operationalising EOR in diverse jurisdictions. The platform is newer than some competitors, which means less track record in complex edge cases but also more modern infrastructure.

Best for: Companies expanding into 3+ emerging markets (APAC, MENA, LATAM) where EOR coverage and local expertise matter more than entity transition advisory.

Not ideal for: Organisations with complex European compliance needs or those requiring deep strategic guidance on employment model transitions.

Globalization Partners (G-P): Best for Enterprise-Grade EOR with Legal Infrastructure

G-P pioneered the EOR category and maintains one of the largest owned-entity networks, with legal infrastructure in 180+ countries rather than relying primarily on third-party partners. The platform emphasises compliance depth through owned entities and in-house legal teams. G-P positions itself for enterprise buyers with complex compliance requirements and risk-averse procurement processes requiring SOC 2 Type II certification and documented audit trails. Pricing reflects the enterprise positioning, typically higher than mid-market focused alternatives.

Best for: Enterprise organisations with 500+ employees, strict procurement requirements, and budgets that prioritise compliance documentation over cost optimisation.

Not ideal for: Mid-market companies seeking advisory-led guidance on employment model strategy or those prioritising cost efficiency alongside compliance.

Velocity Global: Best for Specialised Industry EOR Requirements

Velocity Global focuses on EOR with particular expertise in regulated industries including life sciences, financial services, and government contractors where compliance documentation requirements exceed standard employment scenarios. The platform covers 185+ countries with emphasis on compliance depth over breadth. Velocity Global maintains specialised teams for industries with heightened regulatory scrutiny. The approach suits organisations where employment compliance intersects with industry-specific regulations, such as pharmaceutical companies managing clinical trial staff or defence contractors with security clearance requirements.

Best for: Regulated industry organisations with 20+ employees in sectors requiring industry-specific compliance integration (life sciences, financial services, government contracting).

Not ideal for: General technology or professional services companies without specialised compliance needs that would benefit from industry-specific expertise.

Pick Based on Your Reality: Contractors vs EOR vs Entities

Choose Teamed if: You're managing contractors, EOR, and entities across five or more countries, and you're tired of guessing which model to use where. Especially if your board keeps asking hard questions about your employment strategy and you need better answers.

Choose Remote or Deel if: Your strategy is to rely primarily on EOR and contractors across 10+ markets, you're hiring 20+ international workers in 12 months, and you're comfortable defining entity transition timing without external advisory support.

Choose Papaya Global if: You already operate 5+ entities and local payroll vendors and now need a data and payments control layer, typically alongside internal legal and HR expertise.

Choose an advisor-led European network if: Your priority is deep in-country compliance across 3+ EU entities with 50+ European employees, and you're prepared to work with a global employment advisor to orchestrate providers and standardise reporting.

Choose Oyster if: You're an early-stage company with fewer than 50 employees making first 5–10 international hires and need a straightforward EOR platform without complex multi-model requirements.

Choose Rippling if: Your core operations are 70%+ US-based, you want integrated HR and IT, and international hiring will remain fewer than 50 employees.

Choose Multiplier if: You're expanding into 3+ emerging markets (APAC, MENA, LATAM) in 6–12 months where competitive EOR pricing matters.

Choose G-P or Velocity Global if: You have 500+ employees, enterprise procurement requirements (SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001), or specialised industry compliance needs that outweigh cost considerations.

Get independent advice before you pick a tool. Most vendors naturally push you toward their preferred model, whether or not it's right for you. With regulations changing fast and misclassification penalties getting serious, you need someone who can give you straight answers.

A Note on Pricing

All pricing figures reflect per-employee, per-month costs as of January 2026 based on vendor public pricing pages and direct quotes for mid-market scenarios (200–500 employees, 5–10 countries). EOR pricing typically includes statutory benefits, payroll processing, and compliance filings but excludes employee salaries, bonuses, and discretionary benefits. Contractor pricing covers platform fees, payment processing, and basic agreement templates but excludes contractor fees.

Quote-based vendors (Papaya Global, advisor-led networks) typically require minimum annual commitments. Actual pricing varies by employee count, countries, payroll frequency, and complexity. Verify current terms directly with vendors before making decisions.

Setup fees, implementation costs, and currency conversion fees are excluded from monthly pricing figures. Most vendors charge additional fees for offboarding, amendments, and ad hoc reporting.

What to Check Before You Sign

International payroll software processes sensitive personal data subject to GDPR (for EU/EEA individuals), UK GDPR, and various national data protection laws. Verify that your chosen vendor operates as a data processor under appropriate contracts and maintains documented lawful basis for processing.

Most enterprise-grade vendors maintain SOC 2 Type II certification and ISO 27001 compliance. Mid-market vendors may offer SOC 2 Type I or be working toward certification. Request current audit reports and penetration testing results during procurement.

GDPR requires data minimisation, appropriate technical and organisational measures, and documented processor agreements. Payroll data typically qualifies as special category data in many jurisdictions, requiring heightened protection. Ensure your vendor agreement specifies data location, sub-processor disclosure, and breach notification procedures.

Cross-border data transfers outside the EU/EEA require appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or adequacy decisions. Verify your vendor's transfer mechanisms comply with current regulatory guidance, which continues to evolve following Schrems II.

The Questions Your CFO Will Ask

What strategic factors matter most when choosing payroll software for international employees?

Prioritise per-country employment model decisions, regulatory exposure, and vendors that enable unified operations without increasing vendor sprawl. Implementation typically takes 2–6 weeks for EOR and 8–16 weeks for entity payroll. The best payroll software supports your employment strategy rather than dictating it.

How do regulatory trends affect which international payroll solution a mid-market company should use?

Real-time reporting requirements, the EU Platform Work Directive (adopted 2024; member-state implementation varies), and varied US state classification rules favour solutions that track changes closely and deliver audit-ready, country-level data in one place. Regulatory acceleration means the minimum viable approach from three years ago is already obsolete. This is not legal advice; consult counsel for jurisdiction-specific guidance.

When should a company move international workers from contractors or EOR to its own entity payroll?

Consider headcount trajectory, market importance, misclassification risk, and control over employment terms. In Tier 1 countries like the UK, the threshold is typically 10–15 employees. In Tier 2 countries like Germany, 15–25 employees. These are business heuristics and vary widely by industry, role type, and risk tolerance. This decision often requires independent advisory beyond EOR sales guidance. Not legal advice; consult counsel.

How can we reduce global payroll vendor sprawl without disrupting current operations?

Start with a vendor and model audit. Unify reporting and governance first. Then phase transitions to a simpler, planned architecture. Most companies consolidate fragmented vendor relationships into a coherent strategy in 4–8 weeks with proper guidance (internal estimate based on advisory work; assumes 3–5 vendors, monthly payroll cycles, and dedicated project management).

What is mid-market in the context of global payroll strategy?

Mid-market typically means 200–2,000 employees or €10M–€1B in revenue. These organisations face high complexity with limited appetite for lengthy enterprise consulting engagements. They need strategic guidance that matches their scale.

Why Teamed for Unified Global Employment Operations

For most mid-market companies, the safest, most effective path is to decide the right mix of contractors, EOR, and entities with an independent advisor, then select or retain payroll software that supports that blueprint rather than chasing isolated features.

The regulatory environment is accelerating. The EU Platform Work Directive increases scrutiny on worker classification (adopted 2024; member-state implementation varies). UK IR35 rules require formal status determinations (applies to off-payroll working; scope varies by engagement type). US state tests vary significantly (not legal advice; consult counsel). A fragmented vendor approach cannot keep pace with these changes across multiple jurisdictions.

Teamed consolidates fragmented global employment operations into a single advisory relationship and platform. We help you determine the right employment model for each market, execute it, and evolve as your strategy changes. One conversation when critical decisions arise. No more piecing together conflicting advice from vendors with competing incentives.

If you just need the shortlist:

Ready to end vendor sprawl and get visibility across your entire international workforce? Talk to the experts for a structured review of your international workforce, vendors, and models, and get a practical roadmap to unified global employment operations. Alternatively, download our employment model decision checklist to begin your evaluation independently.